Moving stairway hand rails



4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FUJJELL G. 774 Tom Jan. 5, 1960 R. s. TILTON MOVINGSTAIRWAY HAND RAILS Filed June 29, 1956 l 2 a 2 Z 3 51 2 u m 3 vwv'nuuvhwk 5 I Z i z 5 a l 2 2 2 2 Q 2 z 0 1 U 3 7 M .wD 3 2 3 Z Z M 5 3 3 Jan.5, 1960 R. e. TILTON 2,919,786

MOVING STAIRWAY HAND RAILS Filed June 29. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 20 Z1 Z0Z1 20 21 20 Z1 Z0 J fi IG. 15.

B05551. L G. 774 To N.

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Jan. 5, 1960 R. a. TILTON 2,919,736

MOVING STAIRWAY HAND RAILS Filed June 29, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 7 if: a.16.

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United States atent O MOVING STAIRWAY HAND RAILS Russell G. Tilton,Mountain Lakes, N.J., assignor to Multiscope, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., acorporation of Kansas Application June 29, 1956, Serial No. 594,748

8 Claims. (Cl. 198-16) The present invention relates particularly tohand rails for moving stairways which travel in their orbit in the stairand in unison with the travel of the moving steps of the stair.

This invention is an improvement over that shown and described in PatentNo. 2,780,338 in that the same eliminates some of the parts therein andthereby eliminating considerable friction in the movement of the handrail with relation to its track.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of means forminga part of a hand rail construction reducing friction of the hand rail inits travel along its tracks.

Another object is the provision of shoe members forming a part of thehand rail construction and with the shoe members being formed offriction-reducing material.

Another object of the invention is the elimination of portions of thehand rail track and thereby eliminating considerable friction of thehand rail with relation thereto.

Other objects and particular advantages of the hand rail constructionshown in the accompanying drawings and herein described will become moreapparent in the course of the following description.

Referring now to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical detail showing the orbit of the hand rail.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a hand rail embodying thefeatures of the invention.

Figure 3 is a detail cross section through the hand rail, taken on line33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail cross section through the hand rail, as taken online 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail cross section through the hand rail similar to thatshown in Figure 3, but with the same being shown in position on theupper track, as taken on line 5-5 of the diagrammatical Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail cross section through the hand rail, with the samebeing shown in the position assumed on the upper track, as taken on line66 of the diagrammatical Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a detail cross section through the hand rail, the same beingshown in the position as taken on line 77 of the diagrammatical Figure1.

Figure 8 is an elevational detail of one of the hand rail shoe members.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the shoe member shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical detail section through the shoe member, taken online 10-10 of Figure 8.

Figure 11 is also a vertical section through the shoe member, as takenon line 11-11 of Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the hand rail,taken on line 1212 of Figure 3, and showing the shoe members securedthereto.

Figure 13 is an elevational detail of one of the inserts of the handrail track.

Figure 14 is a vertical detail section through the insert, as taken online .1414 of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a partial side elevation of a track insert member.

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Figure 16 is a section through the track insert member, taken on line16-16 of Figure 15.

Figure 17 is also a section through the track insert member, taken online 17-17 of Figure 15.

Figure 18 is an enlarged detail cross section through the bellows membersimilar to that shown in Figure 3, but with a modification being showntherein comprising a method of securing the bellows to the hand railchain by means of spring-urged pins.

Figure 19 is a detail side elevation of the casing provided for thespring-urged pin and its spring.

Figure 20 is a detail elevation of the spring member.

Figure 21 is a detail side elevation of the spring-urged pin.

Figure 22 is a detail side elevation of the assembled spring-urged pin.

Like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

iln order that the objects of the invention and the advantages thereofmay be more fully understood, I will now take up a detailed descriptionthereof in which the same will be more fully set forth.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numerals 20 refer to thebellows portion of the hand rail which is formed of rubber or otherflexible and suitable material and having grooves formed therearound forthe reception of inserts 21, the outer surfaces of which lie within theouter periphery of the bellows 2t and with the outward projection of thebellows beyond the inserts providing a suitable gripping surface forpassengers of the stairs.

Bellows-chain connectors 22 are embedded in the bellows portion andextend downwardly therefrom and are pivotally secured to respectivechain depending lugs or plates 23 by means of shoulder pins 24, as moreclearly shown in Figures 3, 5, 6 and 7. The plates 23 are provided toform a portion of the hand rail drive chain which is composed ofcompanion links 25 and rollers 26.

In order to provide as near friction free operation of the hand rail aspossible in its travel about its orbit, I provide shoes 27 which aresecured on the outer surfaces of the bellows chain connectors and aresecured thereto by means of the shoulder pins 24, as shown in Figures 2,3, 5, 6, 7 and 12.

The shoes 27 are preferably made of nylon which has a low coefficient offriction, and are preferably formed as shown in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11,with a channel 28 being formed in the chain side thereof for thereception of the chain connectors 22. A pair of lugs 29 are formed onthe same side of each of the shoes forming a channel therebetween, andproviding for the reception of chain depending lugs 23. Bosses 30 arefor-med on the opposite side of the shoes with the same terminating andproviding space for the outer ends of shoulder pins 24. The bosses 30are of such thickness as to project outwardly beyond the ends of thepins 24. Flanges 31 are formed integrally with one edge of the shoes andare of the same curvature as the under portion of the bellows with thesame being let into the bellows member substantially flush therewith.

The upper track 32 of the stair is partially shown in cross. section inFigures 5 and 6 with inwardly-turned flanges 33 being formedcontinuously thereon and pro-. viding guides for the hand rail in itstravel. The lower track 34 is partially shown in cross section in Figure7, with the same being provided with inwardly-turned flanges 35 similarto flanges 33 of the upper track. A stem 36 is formed centrally in theupper track and is in alignment with rollers 26 of the hand rail chain.Nylon track segments 37 are secured to the upper and lower tracks 32 and34 by means of screws 38, as shown in Figure 5.

The segments 37 are located substantially as shown in Figure 1. Thesegments provide means preventing the rollers 26 from riding on thestems 36 of the track and thereby eliminate frictional contact of therollers on the stems 36, there being sufficient tension on the hand railchain to make the same taut and with the flanges 31. of the shoes 27being in sliding contact with the inwardlyturned flanges 33 of the track32. Likewise, the shoes provide means of contact with flanges 35 of thelower track 34, as shown in Figure 7. Should there be side or lateralmotion of the hand rail with relation to the tracks, bosses 3t providethe contact points of the shoes therewith.

The modification as shown in Figure 18 uses springurged pins forsecuring the bellows directly to the hand rail chain depending lugs 23instead of using the bellows chain connectors 22. The spring-urged pinsare each composed of a casing 41 which has one end thereof solid withthe other end being open. The closed end has a flange 42 formed thereonwhile the open end has a flare 43. The casing 41 is moulded into thebellows member while the same is being poured and the flange, beingembedded in the bellows, prevents the casing from loosening withrelation to the bellows. The pin member is formed hollow to accommodatethe spring 45, as shown in Figure 18. The pin member has achain-engaging tip formed on the end thereof.

In pouring the bellows, only the casing 41 is embedded therein while thespring 45 and the pin member 44 are inserted in the casings whileassembling the bellows with the hand rail chain. Respective links of thechain are driled to receive the tips of the pins.

Operation In the operation of the hand rail, each of the hand railchains runs over two sprockets, indicated as 39 and 4 in Figure 1.Either of the sprockets may be power driven with the other serving as areturn idler. The hand rail is carried through its orbit by means of ahand rail chain running over the sprockets. On the upper run of the handrail, the rollers run on the inserts 37 near the curved portions of thetrack, but the hand rail on the inwardly turned flanges 33 of the trackby contact of flanges 31 of the shoes 27 therewith. Any side thrust orlateral movement of the hand chain brings the bosses 3%) into contactwith the track member, as Will be more clearly shown in Figures and 6.

In the travel of the hand rail chain around the sprockets, the hand railis supported by the engagement of the chain with the sprockets.

It will be noted, by referring to the drawings and the abovedescription, friction of the hand rail with relation to the track issubstantially eliminated and resulting in less power being required forthe operation of the hand rail and with less noise being present. Withall of the wear of the parts being confined to the shoes 27, the samemay be easily replaced.

I desire that it be understood that I am not to be limited to thespecific design of the parts herein shown and described, but that minorchanges may be made therein, insofar as the changes may fall within thescope of the appended claims.

Having now shown and described the invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a moving stair hand rail construction, a pair of spaced-apartsprockets, a hand rail track extending between the sprockets, acontinuous hand rail chain running along the hand rail track in an orbitover said sprockets, a hand rail secured to and carried by the chainover said sprockets, a series of shoe members secured to each side ofthe chain by means of bellowschain connectors and having portions of thebellows-chain connectors embedded in the hand rail, and with the handchain being adapted to ride on the hand rail track.

2. In a hand rail construction, a hand rail chain, hand rail trackmembers, a flexible hand rail having bellowschain connectors embeddedtherein and depending therefrom and secured into the hand rail chain bymeans of bellows-chain connectors, shoe members secured on the dependingportions of the bellows-chain connectors, and with said shoe membersproviding gliding contact with the hand rail track members.

3. in a moving stairway hand rail construction, a hand rail chain, ahand rail carried by the hand rail chain, a hand rai track, said trackforming a guide for the hand rail, said hand rail track having acontinuous stein formed midway between the sides thereof, low frictionsegments secured at intervals to the continuous stern of the hand railtrack with said segments being located at points of contact of the handrail chain with the hand rail track, with shoes of a low frictioncoeflicicnt b i secured to each side of the hand rail chain by .s ofbellows-chain connectors and providing means g ng the hand rail in itsorbit with relation to the hand rail track, and with a portion of eachof the shoes underlying the adjacent surface of the hand rail.

4. In a moving stairway hand rail construction, a hand rail chain, aflexible hand rail adapted to travel in an orbit over a pair orspaced-apart sprockets with the hand rail being secured to the hand railchain and carried over the sprockets thereby, a hand rail trackproviding guiding means for the hand rail chain, a series of lowfrictional coefficient shoes secured to the hand rail chain by means ofrespective bellows-chain connectors, and with the shoes providing meanspreventing excessive lateral movement of the hand rail chain withrelation to the hand rail track.

5. In a moving stairway hand rail construction, a hand rail track, ahand rail chain, a flexible hand rail carried by and secured to the handrail chain by means of a plurality of bellows-chain connectors, a seriesof shoe members secured to and carried by the respective bellows-chainconnectors, with said shoe members being relieved for the reception ofthe bellows-chain connectors, track-cont ing flanges formed on the shoemembers with the ges thereof being let into the flexible hand rail andwith bosses being formed on each of the shoes and adapted to guide thehand rail in its orbit over the hand rail track.

6. in a hand rail construction comprising a flexible bellows connectedwith a hand rail chain, means connecting the bellows with the hand railchain, said means being composed of a series of spring-urged pinssecured in the bellows and extending into the links of the hand railchain.

7. In a moving stairway hand rail construction, a hand rail chain, abellows member having a plurality of springurged pins embedded thereinand projecting toward the hand rail chain, with the hand rail chainbeing perforated for the reception of the spring-urged pins, and withthe springurged pins projecting into the perforations of the hand railchain.

8. A moving stairway hand rail chain, a bellows removably secured to thehand rail chain by means of spring-urged pins, each of said pins beingcomposed of a casing member embedded in the bellows, a spring located inthe casing, a pin member slidably positioned in the casing member, andwith the spring urging the pin member toward the hand rail chain.

References (lifted in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS673,890 Reno May 14, 1901 1,956,155 Lindquist et al. Apr. 24, 19342,065,508 Barnes Dec. 29, 1936 2,211,427 Margles Aug. 13, 1940 2,275,048Hohnecker Mar. 3, 1942 2,650,036 Berkepeis Aug. 25, 1953 2,780,338Tilton Feb. 5, 1957

